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by Lindsey and Kelsey

There comes a time in every (non-trust fund supported) adult’s life, when he or she must start looking at price tags. When we start paying for things with our own money, strange things start to happen. Maybe you keep buying Tide detergent because it’s what your mom always bought without ever thinking, “Hmm, Squeaky McBubbles detergent is much cheaper, so maybe I should give it a whirl.” There’s a certain kind of comfort in familiar packaging. Or, if you’re price conscious, maybe you’ve frequently ventured into the generic or store brand product world. Spending less on a product of equal quality can be oh, so satisfying.

This is our cousin’s cat, Maz. He’s a big spender.

While we Left/Right ladies encourage your thrifty explorations, there are some household and toiletry products for which we’re not willing to compromise. Some of these are generics that have tried and failed to woo us, and some are the “just nopes” that we can’t bring ourselves to sacrifice. We all make choices. These are ours.

Lindsey

Frozen Waffles

When I got out of grad school, it was 2010 and nonprofit jobs were hard to come by. I worked for a little under a year at a college library, which paid…well, not much. I scrimped and saved and tried all kinds of cheap food. Some were good. Some were bad. Storebrand/offbrand frozen waffles – a staple in my freezer for quick breakfasts or lazy dinners – fell into the latter bad category. Nothing compares to Eggo brand waffles. Nothing. Trust me.

Lipstick/Balm

As a youngster, I bought ALL the makeup. Hot pink blush. Teal eyeliner. I tried it all. Experimental was my middle name. (Now it’s just Shea.) Anyway, as an adult I’ve settled into a low maintenance beauty routine. Moisturizer only on lazy days. Light foundation, blush and neutral shadow to work. Mascara and eyeliner only on special occasions. The one constant every day? Lipstick or lip balm. If that’s main the makeup category where I spend my money, I want the good stuff. Current favorites (from most color to least) are: NARS Fire Down Below, Clinique Whole Lotta Honey, Fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment and Smith’s Rosebud Salve. If you want one lip product, pick Smith’s. I want to be buried with it.

Kelsey

Coffee

My name is Kelsey, and I’m a coffee snob. But, let’s be honest, I really don’t feel any shame about this fact. I’ve always enjoyed coffee, but ever since I landed myself a grown-up job, a coffee beverage has become an integral part of my leisurely morning. I will get up early, just so I can laze around for an extra 30 minutes casually sipping my soy latte. I grind my own coffee, and I order whole beans from Stumptown (in Portland) about once a month. It’s so worth it.

Writing Utensils

Being left-handed, I’m obsessed with nearly any writing utensil that makes pushing my pen/pencil across the page a little easier to manage (vs. lucky right-handers that glide right with ease). This action almost always results in a fine patina of graphite or ink on the side of my hand (left-handed shout out: I know that you all know what I’m talking about). That said, I also write very small and precisely, so I prefer a .3 or .5 engineering pencil (faves: GraphGear 1000 ; rOtring 600 ) as well as fine point felt-tipped pens, as they dry quickly (faves: Le Pen ; Sakura Micron ). Fountain pens are also included in my pen indulgences (fave: Lamy).

Both

Toilet Paper

So, we split the “both” category between us, and I, Lindsey, ended up with toilet paper. I’m kind of stoked about it, to be honest. This is a product we all use every day. Every. single. day. I cannot scrimp on an item so important to daily life. That thin, hotel grade slop? No thank you. Not only is comfort an issue, but say you want to grab a square to sneeze or blot your lipstick? It won’t work, I tell you. If you’re going to splurge, treat your booty to the best. Oh, and for the record, Kelsey and I differ on what’s best. I prefer Cottonelle Clean Care, while the kid buys Charmin Ultra Soft. The choice is yours.

Skincare

Whereas I (Kelsey) save all the money on makeup compared to my sisterface (because I don’t wear it), I make up for that (get it?) by my obnoxious number of skincare products. Funny thing is that while my skin was never that rebellious as a teenager, you can still get acne for the first time in your twenties (stress is real, you guys). The best thing that I have found for my at-the-moment angry skin is a retinoid cream. You can find this stuff OTC, but you may also procure a prescription for a stronger variety. It has SO MANY BENEFITS from helping with acne to reducing/preventing wrinkles etc. etc. Moving on, Lindsey and I have recently been using the same Clinique moisturizer with SPF, that we adore. If you need any encouragement to use SPF on a daily basis, see here. Finally, a shout-out to Kiehl’s for having an amazing alcohol-free toner.